Comments | gustavolacerda: self-deception about politics; rational irrationality; social epistemology system

gustavolacerda

self-deception about politics; rational irrationality; social epistemology system

Nov 07, 2005 16:52

Highly recommended: Michael Huemer - Why People Are Irrational about Politics (even if I disagree with his moral objectivism at first sight)
My highlights:
( Read more... )

formal_ed, practical_epistemology, intelligence_analysis, behavioral_econ, cogsci, biases, politics

Comments 13

brianfey November 7 2005, 17:59:12 UTC

Great idea! You are a smart dude! Come visit me in Mexico someday!

gustavolacerda November 7 2005, 18:52:48 UTC

Thanks. I should start organizing a geographical database of people/places to visit on holidays. I wonder if I should use Google Earth.

Markets r6 November 7 2005, 18:00:18 UTC

Prediction Markets!

Re: Markets gustavolacerda November 7 2005, 18:10:09 UTC

sure! I was just thinking that someone would say that! like, 20 seconds ago!

Re: Markets gustavolacerda November 7 2005, 18:13:01 UTC

You could create judge-bots that simply parrot the judgements of prediction markets. I suspect that their reputations would eventually get pretty high.

Re: Markets r6 November 7 2005, 19:06:38 UTC

Money would probably be better; although it would make judging more problematic.

Thread 7

smandal November 8 2005, 00:50:27 UTC

Huemer's arguments on values are incorrect. The real basis of his views are, "people are stupid and inconsistent." He's package dealing -- it's entirely possible to be inconsistent and not stupid. Why? Because I feel like it.

gustavolacerda November 8 2005, 00:56:26 UTC

I also saw some problems with what he was saying about values.

But I really like his exposition of how self-deception works.

Rationality r6 November 8 2005, 07:12:38 UTC

individuals derive psychological rewards from holding certain political beliefs, and since each individual suffers almost none of the harm caused by his own false political beliefs, it often makes sense (it gives him what he wants) to adopt those beliefs regardless of whether they are true or well-supported.

I think this is right on the mark. I was thinking that capitalists (or rather corporatists) lie about the benefits of policy to get what they want. But putting it your way is both more general and explains even more behaviour.

Re: Rationality r6 November 8 2005, 10:57:43 UTC

It's not my quote. It's one of my favorite parts from Huemer's essay.